Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions

I haven't posted a recipe in a month of Sundays! It's time. And this one's a favorite. And it's a yummy, healthy, low-fast dish... score! This one's a perfect fit for October and Halloween -- complete with its own trick and treat. The finished product would delight any little ghoul on All Hallow's Eve...

The trick to this recipe? Instead of cooking the onions for a long time in butter and oil to bring out their sweetness (and all those calories!), we'll cover the pan and add balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. The treat is...it's ready in half the time!
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Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions
5 points
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4 (4 ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (2 cups)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar

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1. Place pork chops between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound slightly to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chops and cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove chops from pan, and keep warm.

3. Add onion to pan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with brown sugar; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon onion mixture over pork chops.

Yield: 4 servings (1 chop and about 1/2 cup onion mixture)
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** Hint: Even though the recipe doesn't call for it, we cover the chops while cooking, keeping a close eye on them. They cook faster this way. We always use a meat thermometer to check the chops for safety and doneness. We ignore the recipe's overall cooking time and go by the chops' temperature to tell us when they're done.
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C'mon -- tell me -- served like this -- that it isn't a perfect candidate for the main dish of a Halloween meal! Bwahahahahaha! Enjoy...

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recipe credit: Weight Watchers 5 Ingredient, 15 Minute Cookbook, Winter 2008, p. 53

Donsa's Beef Enchiladas

This meal is a special one in our family because it was Cory's Mom's specialty. We make this often, but we make a special point of having it for her birthday which is Aug 24th. With tomorrow being the first day of school, we decided to do it today to be able to savor it. She passed away in March of 1998 and we miss her very much. We know that she watches over our family, especially our children since she wanted more than anything to be a Grandma.
Happy Birthday Donsa!!
*This recipe really isn't as complicated as it looks. The tomato sauce can easily be made ahead of time.

Donsa's Beef Enchiladas

Meat Filling:
2 lbs ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed, then put the beans back into the can and refill with water. (or you can add the beans undrained, just be sure to have everyone take a Beano before they eat for the health of all the people around you!) :-)

Tomato Sauce:
3 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp flour
1 lg. can (29 oz) Tomato Puree
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 beef bouillon cube (I like the knorr brand)
1 cup hot water, heated in the microwave
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
dash of ground cumin (about 1/4 tsp)
1/2 tsp salt
dash of fresh pepper (about 6 grinds)

Enchiladas:
8-10 burrito size flour tortillas
1 lb grated cheese (cheddar or colby jack)

To Prepare the Meat Filling:
Brown the ground beef, drain. Add the garlic and saute until you can smell the garlic. Then add the salt mixed with the chili powder. Add the vinegar and water. Then stir in the drained kidney beans. Set aside.

To make the Tomato Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, add the canola oil and the onions. Saute until translucent. Add garlic. When you can smell the garlic, add the flour. Stir to combine. Turn off the burner and add the tomato puree. Add the bouillon cube to the water and mix well, then add to the tomato mixture. Add the vinegar, green chilies and spices. Turn on the burner and heat through.

We add 2-3 ladles of the sauce to stir into the meat filling. We think it is yummy that way, but you don't have to do that.

To assemble:
Preheat oven to 350.
Grate the cheese. Spray a 15x10 inch pan with nonstick spray. (if you want to use a 9x13 inch pan, get the smaller size tortillas instead of the burrito size. Put the meat into the tortilla, and add cheese to your preference. Roll up. Place in the pan, with the tortilla seam down (so it doesn't unravel). Repeat until the pan is filled. Top with the tomato sauce and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

*to make this recipe gluten free...use corn tortillas instead of flour, and use gluten free flour for the tomato sauce to help the sauce thicken.
*for people who can't have milk products, this recipe still tastes great without the cheese!

This recipe is adapted from the McCalls Cook Book.

Recipe Labels II

Look at those kids! That's okay.

Chocolate cake has that effect on me, too. LOL

(Just adding the rest of the labels to our blog.)